Letters to the editor: Ross criticized

On July 2 U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross held a town hall meeting with his constituents at the Brandon Services Center. A gentleman asked Ross why he had not yet signed on as a co-sponsor to HB 1565, the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 2013, especially since on April 6 he told us at a Plant City town hall meeting he supported background checks for all sales except family-to-family member transfers. HB 1565 helps close the loopholes in the background check system for gun purchases, specifically those at gun shows and over the Internet. It ensures that all individuals who should be prohibited from buying a firearm are listed in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and enhances the current background check process to ensure that criminals and the mentally ill are not able to purchase firearms. It specifically bans the creation of a data base of gun owners.

Ross has received many phone calls and emails asking him to join 183 other bipartisan co-sponsors of this bill. Two months ago in response to an email request from me asking him to be a co-sponsor of this bill, he wrote that he would "look into it." Last Tuesday, as a member of Mom's Demand Action, I told Ross I was disappointed in his answer to the gentleman who asked the first question. He again replied, "I will look into it."

This is placation and therefore dishonest. Ross tries to impress us at town hall meetings by describing bills he has sponsored. But let's look at his record. He has sponsored 10 bills to date. Two have received a handful of co-sponsors. Two have fewer than five co-sponsors. Six have no co-sponsors, and none have passed. For this paltry performance, we pay him at least $174,000 per year, plus benefits. As his employer, my evaluation of his performance to date is "F." Ross certainly could improve his performance by reaching across the aisle to people like Rep. Kathy Castor and become a co-sponsor of this bill.

Ione Townsend

Plant City

Whose rights?

This is in response to a letter in last Sunday's tribune, "A part of life," by F.M. Younglove regarding Thomas Beckwith's refusal to fund abortions through health care coverage for his employees. Younglove contends that it is a "question of women's rights." I would counter that it is absolutely not "women's rights," but preborn babies'/children's rights. I contend the woman has already exercised her rights through choosing to have sex, which resulted in pregnancy.

Colette Moore

DoverDouble bogey

I hope President Obama's golf game is better than his foreign policy because he double-bogeyed in Egypt, when he backed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. And backing al-Qaida rebels in Syria to topple Assad's regime is questionable as well.

If a Republican were in office now inciting revolution in the Middle East, there would be demonstrations.

Ray Brown

TampaReporter praised

I want to thank Tribune reporter Richard Mullins for his recent articles concerning grocery price comparisons. His first article was informational, relating options that some stores use to reduce costs for their customers, (renting carts, self-packaging, big-box offerings, etc.) The second, an exposure of targeted advertising used by Walmart throughout the country, forced Publix to publicly defend its business practices. It would be a very interesting follow-up article to see how much Publix is involved in supporting our communities - their generous donations to local organizations and hiring practices, etc.

Alice Kiplinger

Wimauma

Evidence in Bible

In response to the many letters supporting same-sex marriage: When a person says that same-sex relations are "unnatural," I am sure they mean you never see a male lion trying to mate with another male lion or a male elephant with a male elephant. The animal world knows whom they need to mate with. Humans are the only ones who wish to mate with their own sex.

As far as a spiritual aspect of it, almost all of the proponents of same-sex marriage say "the God and Christ I know loves everyone." The statement that God loves all is true, but he does not love sin. Does God love the rapist or murderer? Yes, but he does not love or approve of the sin they commit.

If you believe the Bible and consider it from God, then these few scriptures will show you where the folks against same-sex marriage and the homosexual movement get their beliefs.

"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Do not defile yourselves with any of these things."

"Do you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, not sodomites, not thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."

If you believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, you can't read these verses and not know that God does not approve of homosexuality. Of course, if you don't believe in God or the Bible, then you have to answer for your own behavior one day.

After a long run in the Tampa Tribune sports department, Joe Henderson now shares his thoughts on the people and places that make up daily life in our city.

Tom Jackson

Tom Jackson’s baseball card — if he had one — would report he throws left, writes right. In his columns and blog, “The Right Stuff,” southpaw Jackson provides insight into the evolving human condition from a distinctly conservative point of view.Column | Blog